Kentucky Humane Society Equine CARE

06/08/2026

There's no easy way to say this. Kate peacefully passed away at our Willow Hope Farm on Friday afternoon surrounded by staff and volunteers who loved her.

What was supposed to be a routine vet visit to address Kate's plateaued weight and eyesight quickly progressed when our veterinarian took ultrasounds of Kate's belly. They found her GI track pushed forward by an extremely large mass in her abdomen, along with a large cavity of fluid. A belly tap revealed that Kate was bleeding internally and that's when we knew a difficult decision needed to be made.

Due to the condition she was in, further diagnostics were not an option. Though Kate's spirit was strong, her body was fragile. Her kindness has blown us away from the moment we met her, and we owed it to Kate to return that kindness tenfold by helping her peacefully cross over.

To say our team is heartbroken would be a severe understatement. To us, Kate was more than a skinny mare abandoned on a mountain. She was a gentle soul who taught us just how forgiving, resilient and patient horses can be, despite their circumstances. We count ourselves as the lucky ones because we got to bask in Kate's love, even for a short amount of time, and will forever be grateful that she knew happiness for a short while. ❤️‍🩹

You've Made It, Kate. Run free in green pastures, sweet girl.

06/06/2026

We’re excited for Waggin’ Tail tomorrow! 🎉 Trixie will be joining us and she’s ready to soak up the spotlight while teaching folks what our Equine C.A.R.E. program is all about 🧡

Get ticket at kyhumane.org/waggintail

06/02/2026

Sometimes horse whispering requires a little bit of manifestation - like Jackie's first scratch on Brandi the foal. ✨

Brandi's been hesitant about human touch because she's tight with her mama, Carmine. Just hours before snapping this photo, we were talking about how close she's been getting to letting humans touch her and Jackie said she was SURE today would be the day. The rest of us weren't too sure but then BAM! Jackie goes out into the pasture and Brandi proves her right. 🤣

Way to go, Brandi girl! You're well on your way to growing into a strong, confident mare just like your mom. 🧡

06/01/2026

Jackie is an incredible member of our Willow Hope Farm team and we're beyond grateful to have her. 🧡 THANK YOU for all that you do for our equine residents, Jackie!

05/29/2026

I spy... 👀

05/24/2026

🌟 Adoptable Horse of the Week: Stella 🌟

Stella is a 21-year-old Kentucky Saddle Horse mare whose resilience cannot be overstated. ❤️‍🩹 She was collected as a starving free-roaming horse in Eastern Kentucky a year ago and since then, has slowly learned that humans can be kind and caring.

Stella's training has brought her a long way - she can now be caught in pasture, haltered and led with ease. 🤝 She stands politely for vet and farrier care and continues to get more confident every day. Stella would thrive with a patient adopter who can help her blossom as their bond grows. 😇🧡 Her best days are ahead of her and she'd love for you to tag along!

➡️ Learn more about Stella at https://www.kyhumane.org/adopt/adoptable-horses OR submit an adoption application at https://www.kyhumane.org/equine-adoption-form

05/22/2026

Kate continues to show her resilience at Willow Hope Farm! 🧡 She's been doing so well that we've moved her out of our quarantine barn and into a pasture with a new home herd horse, CC. The two have become the best of friends, and it is truly heartwarming to see this much joy in Kate after her traumatic arrival.

Kate and CC love to share the pasture whenever possible, and even when they're separated, all is well as long as CC can see Kate, and Kate can hear and smell CC. Blind or not, Kate knows exactly when her best friend is nearby. 🫶

She came to us emaciated and alone from a mountaintop. Now she has a friend and a bright future. Keep making it, Kate! 🐴

05/20/2026

Our Willow Hope Farm has stall openings to assist owners looking to rehome their horses. Right now, we have available space for:

• Sound, healthy, rideable horses
• Horses with good ground manners
• Equines that would be suitable for adoption into new homes after evaluation

If you or someone you know is looking for the next chapter for their horse, we’d love to help. To get started, complete a surrender application athttps://www.kyhumane.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/KHS-Equine-Surrender-Form.pdf and email it to [email protected]. If accepted to our program, KHS will care for, evaluate and place your horse through our adoption program at Willow Hope Farm.

Share this post so we can reach those who may need assistance or know of a horse looking for a fresh start.

*Please note: We are currently at capacity for horses requiring additional training or veterinary care, as well as feral horses.

05/19/2026

Meet Soteria. 🧡 We collected her in July 2025 as a three-year-old feral mare nursing a c**t, Gabriel, on a reclaimed mine site. The two settled in together at Willow Hope Farm, but in December, Gabe showed signs of colic and had to be rushed to an equine hospital. Thankfully, he pulled through and was reunited with his mama.

Once Gabe was thriving on his own, Soteria headed to our friends at Black Star Stables for training. It was there they discovered she was expecting...again. Knowing she had been pregnant on the mountain while nursing a young c**t is heartbreaking, and yet, it's an all-too-common reality for mares in feral herds. 💔

She's been on foal watch for a while now, and last night, Soteria welcomed a sweet little filly into the world! Follow Black Star Stables and Arena for more updates on Soteria and her newest foal. 🥹

Everybody say awww.. Soteria didn't want to wait for her baby shower!

At 2:40 a.m. today she decided she had enough of keeping everyone on their toes, and had this cute little filly! Mom and baby are resting (and so are the humans who have been on hourly checks round the clock for the last 48+ hours)

Name TBD. No more babies for former mine horse Soteria, she has a wonderful life ahead.

05/18/2026

Interested in learning more about the free-roaming horse population and KHS's PZP initiative in Eastern Kentucky? Our Equine Director, Lori Redmon, shared more during a recent interview with 88.9 WEKU Eastern Standard. Listen with the link below!⬇️

"Over the past two decades, domestic horses have been abandoned on abandoned mine sites in eastern Kentucky, forming unmanaged herds. Unchecked breeding has resulted in overpopulation, and according to the Kentucky Humane Society, this is putting horses at risk of starvation, increasing roadway hazards, and causing environmental damage through overgrazing and erosion. Most of these horses were born in the mountains and have never been handled, making traditional management strategies more difficult. KHS Equine Director Lori Redmon tells us about a fertility control program now getting underway."

Over the past two decades, domestic horses have been abandoned on abandoned mine sites in eastern Kentucky, forming unmanaged herds. Unchecked breeding has resulted in overpopulation, and according to the Kentucky Humane Society, this is putting horses at risk of starvation, increasing roadway hazar...